Massive growth potential in technical textiles
Glen Raven Inc., the leading global provider of high-performance fabrics designed for a wide variety of residential, commercial, and industrial applications, is exploring possibilities for expanding its presence in India.
The company provides high-performance fabrics for various industries, including automotive, petrochemicals, construction, mining, logistics, geosynthetics, filtration and protective fabrics for the police, military, fire fighters, etc. It has its manufacturing facilities on three continents, including North America, Europe, and Asia, and sells products in over 100 countries. Its brands such as Sunbrella and Dickson fabrics are used for residential and commercial awnings, upholstery, outdoor furniture, and boating.
India’s technical textiles market, which is currently estimated at $17 billion, is likely to reach a level of $32 billion by 2023. It will develop as an important centre for both manufacturing and consumption. Innovation in using technical textiles for new applications across industries will be the growth driver for the industry.
Says Paige Mullis, Director of Concept Development, Glen Raven: “Globally, technical textile forms 65% of the textile market, whereas in India it is only 10 to 15%. This indicates the massive growth potential in this segment. Given the demand for technical textiles in India, and our diverse range of products, our experience and expertise in innovations in high performance fabrics, we are well placed to partner with Indian companies to provide solutions for industry specific needs. Our leading-edge manufacturing facilities specialize in weaving, knitting, dying, coating, and laminating worldwide – and are committed to the health and safety of our associates.”
Glen Raven’s investments in India began in 2007 when it acquired Strata Systems, Inc. in the US, which owned 50 per cent of Strata India, a geosynthetics sales, marketing and technical support company based in Mumbai formed in 2004 as part of Strata’s global operations.
Paige further says: “Advances in fiber, yarn, fabric and manufacturing technologies continue to lead to new application opportunities across industries, especially in the more highly engineered applications, such as in Automobiles, Military, and Infrastructure. Glen Raven has been a leader in innovation, performance, quality and technical merit of these engineered products since 1880. Staying ahead of the technology curve is critical, but equally important for us is to partner with our customers to use our products as solutions for their specific needs in high-tech, high-performance fabrics designed not just to look attractive, but to offer a significant added value in terms of functionality.”
Most people know Glen Raven because of its two leading consumer brands, Sunbrella and Dickson. The Sunbrella brand is a leading performance fabric commonly used on boats and for awnings and outdoor furniture. The Dickson brand has long been the leading awning fabrics brand in Europe and is also well known in other parts of the world for a diversity of performance fabrics used in industrial and commercial applications as diverse as tire manufacturing and solar protection.
While Sunbrella and Dickson are Glen Raven’s best-known brands, they are only one part of a diverse global company focused on technical fabric solutions. Glen Raven has the lead market share in North America for fabrics used for automotive headliners and is the world’s largest producer of sailcloth. It is also a leader in fabrics for protective work wear through its GlenGuard FR brand and in recent years has emerged as a strategic provider of materials that are incorporated into reverse osmosis systems for water purification.
Glen Raven’s investments in India began in 2007 when it acquired Strata Systems, Inc. in the US, which owned 50 percent of Strata India, a geosynthetics sales, marketing and technical support firm based in Mumbai formed in 2004 by Ashok Bhawnani, a successful entrepreneur, as part of Strata’s global operations. A team of employees headed by Narendra Dalmia (CEO and Director), was dedicated to marketing Strata’s soil reinforcement and stabilization products largely in support of India’s rapidly developing highway system and other components of infrastructure. This team had identified long-term potential for geosynthetics materials in India and was aggressively developing the market with products and knowledge. Strata is recognized globally as a technical leader in geosynthetics products, headed by President Chip Fuller, an internationally recognized authority.
From the initial marketing and technical team, Glen Raven has continually invested in Strata India. Until today it employs more than 200 full-time associates who not only provide technical design expertise but also manufacture Strata geosynthetics materials along with custom-designed blocks and facing materials for highway retaining walls. Through the deployment of mobile block fabrication units, Strata India has completed some of the country’s largest, most complex and time sensitive highway construction projects, including major fly-overs.
The hallmarks of Glen Raven, as evidenced by Strata India, are innovations directed at highly technical needs, and investments for the long term. Glen Raven and Strata India management teams remain highly confident in the future growth potential in India, throughout Asia and around the world. By focusing on innovative solutions and tapping into talented workforces such as Strata India, Glen Raven is actively pursuing its vision statement of “Let Endless Possibilities Begin.”
For details, access: www.glenraven.com.